WORKBOOK
Created by Thomas Stevens for AMFI 2011-2012 graduation project OUT OF THE ORDINARY: A compendium of archetypes of the average Dutch female consumer.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 001- Avant La Lettre
013- Dutch Cut
002- So What Now?
014- According to Libelle
003- Why & for Whom?
015- Skirtified
004- Next Steps
016- Holy Mary
005- Example Questionnaire
017- Hip Henrietta
006- Average Joe & Jane
018- Caravan Carol
007- Henk & Ingrid
019- Retired Rachel
008- Visual Inspiration
020- Social Sally
009- Visual Inspiration pt. 2
021- Feisty Felicia
010- Dutch Women
022- CSP
011- Practical Comfort
026- So Far So Good?
012- Denim Delight
027- CSP The Sequel 028- Official Check
029- Conclusions & other
042- Red or Greem
030- Feedback Official Check
043- The 7th Archetype
031- Next Steps
044- June 4th Presentation
032- Why Why Why
045- Compendium: The End
033- Option 1
046- Using The Compendium
034- Option 2 035- Option 3 036- Final Decisions 037- Feedback Mock-Up 038- The Compendium 039- The Content 040- Final Presentation 041- One Last Why
AVANT LA LETTRE Stuff that inspired me beforehand After almost 4 years we have finally come to graduate. But how? And with what? In order to create something personal and original I started my inspirational research a while before graduation. Just to figure out for myself what my interests are and how I can implement those in a unique graduation project. But, making decisions is not my fortĂŠ, and so this quest for inspiration seemed end-less and became frustrating at times.
001
SYMBOLISM MAGAZINES
SUB CULTURE
POP CULTURE ICONOGRAPHY
(THE POWER OF) THE WRITTEN WORD ARCHETYPES
HIGH VS. LOWBROW
PASTICHE BRICOLAGE IDENTITY GENDER
SEXUALITY
MINDMAP
SO WHAT NOW? What are you going to make? Ok, so not only have I established that what I will make has to reflect my personality as well as truly offer a unique perspective on a subject. I feel it is the easy way out to do Brands&Identity part 2, therefore my orientation and research took longer but I do not regret giving it the time I felt it needed.
002
PROUDLY PRESENTING The Visual Compendium of Archetypes The project I created in my head ties all the ends together. It hightlights my talents and capacities as well as giving me the opportunity to finetune some of the competences I’d like to use in my future professional career. I like to think that a future employer could hire you on the basis of your graduation project, without ever having met in real life. To offer some more direction and restrictions, (very necessary in my case) I will focus on the average Dutch consumer.
WHY? What makes you think anyone’s interested? First off, why the average Dutch consumer? Why not Hipsters or Teens, or even Gays for that matter? Well, I do like challenging myself sometimes and this particular group of people attract me bacuase of its ‘anonymity’. Furthermore, Fashion students and professionals can be somewhat condescending about ‘Average Joe’ and I like to look outside of ‘Fashion’ as well.
003
Another important element is the marketplace itself. My research has established that the high-end and middle segment are quite saturated and that there are quite some gaps in the lower end of the market. Focusing on that part and investigating that side of retail could lead to insightful conclusions. Moreover, in recent years society, not just the Dutch, have found appreciation of the ‘Average Joe’. Real-life series certainly have helped in their acceptance of the ‘lower’ or ‘other’ class.
FOR WHOM? What makes you think anyone’s interested? Of course your graduation project should be interesting and showing off your academic knowledge, but really want to create something FUN. Something which makes you laugh, wonder, ache, evoking an emotion. Who says it can’t be both serious and insightful as well as inspirational and really funny?
What I’m trying to say is that my goal is to create a project that can be accessible to both my mother as my boss. Exactly like the target group itself At the same time I do want it to be something that can be used by marketeers, advertising agencies, marketing and branding departments etc. And not just for them to read and get valuable insights but for them to think: “We need to hire this guy, there is no one else able to write like he does”. It will also be vital for existing brands in the lower end of the market to strengthen and maintain their brand identity as well as new brands trying to penetrate market, wanting to differentiate themselves.
NEXT STEPS What should be done to reach end goal? Now that I’ve established what I want to accomplish it is time to plan ahead to see what needs to be done.
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Obviously I need to get to know the consumer I’m referring to so going out on the streets to find them is important. By doing research into these consumers at the same time, I will know where to find them more specifically for each archetype. Creating consumer archetypes on the basis of different brands could be helpful as well as a creative choice. Therefore I will base these consumer archetypes on different brands I’d like to create a questionnaire for my international friends since they will have insights on the Dutch, the Dutch themselves don’t have. I will also create a questionnaire for some of the consumers I find, to get more in-depth information besides mere demographics. Finding/creating visual inspiration will help the creative juices flow as well help define different archetypes.
I do not want this project to be Exactitudes part 2 or a dry consumer research report
EXAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE Questions for directions
005
Dear International friends, As you all know I’m busy with my graduation project about the ‘average Dutch woman’ and now I’m requesting your help, which would be kindly appreciated. It won’t take long. All I need you to do is to write down what is typically Dutch for you, and then mainly what you think about Dutch women. But also other weird Dutch habits or things that you notice. Thank you so much! Some highlights: * Denim skirts & cowboy boots * No curtains in front of their windows * Using deoderant in public * Typical Dutch haircut for women * Older women trying to look younger *
Now for the women I meet on the streets and my final archetypes there are certain things I need to know. Of course mere demographics like name, age, occupation etc. But I think a character is built on details. I can ask someone how often they get their cut, but also how much they are willing to spend on such an expense. This tells something on her spending habit as well as how important fashion is to her. By asking the same questions consistantly, I get different answers for the same question. This enables me to show the differences between the archetypes as well as what they might have in common. I want to know if they have children and or pets, but their names will be more vital. What kind of music do they listen to? What is their favorite way of spending a day off? Whap happens on Sundays? I would like her opinion on magazines and on how women are portrayed in the media. Of course I will try and get invited to their houses so I will be able to see and document how they live, instead of just asking. I want to try and find 5-7 women, as varied as possible, to offer a broad scope within a more distinct target audience. I want the images to be as unforced as they can. So, I don’t want the women to prepare themselves too much. Instead, I capture them as they are; their true essence.
AVERAGE JOE & JANE Who are they and what do they look like? Though I’m concentrating on the female consumer, I cannot etch out the male entirely. Many of the females are married to one, after all. Research has concluded they live in Almere, in a Vinex-wijk, with 2,2 children. But surely that research does not add up with the image below. Then again, that is the face of Vondelpark, which is something else than the face of Holland. Then the image to the right is much more appropriate. In any case, it has more faces than one.
006
DUTCH FASHION Some facts, figures and conclusions. * The average woman has size 42 * 36% of men wants a woman with curves * The average Dutch spends 637 euro’s on clothing, a decline in comparison to 2008 when it was 654. Online sales have increased and the average spending amount is 44 euro. * Women spend over half of the budget on clothing on themselves, the rest has to be split between husband and kids. * Kici, the biggest collector of clothing, has collected over 10 million kilo of clothing and shoes in Holland in 2010. * Annually, women buy 4 bra’s a year. * 1 in 10 women wear a fresh bra every day. * Women spend an average amount of 17,10 euro on a bra. * 40% of women have a D-cup or up, making the Dutch the biggest breasted, after the Danish and English. (When I started working at H&M 10 years ago, we sold 1 bra in a D-cup!) * 25% of all sales in swimwear are online! * Online shoe sales have dubbled in less than 2 years. * Boots were the fastest growing sales group online in 2010. * The average price of shoes is 15% higher online than in-stores. Which I find surprising because I believe my target group uses the internet to scour for bargains and things that are less expensive than in stores.
The average Dutch woman has little to none interest in Fashion in the way other people do. She often has kids and moves around from one place to another, requiring for a more pragmatic and practical aesthetic. In a way, they dress more primal, solely wearing clothes as to not be naked but most women have a hard time shopping for, or even acknowledging their bodies at all. This is not true for all women, of course but it certainly has to do with my target audience.
“The fashion branch is having a hard time, that is for sure. Esprit had a profit decline of 98% and announced another 5% decline in their prognosis. But also Mexx, WE, MS mode, Vögele, Miss Etam and H&M have had tough sales”. (I’ve definitely noticed a change in recent years. It has never been this quiet in the store than ever before.) “We can also see there is new-found appreciation in department stores, something we were not quite good at, but HEMA, V&D and Bijenkorf have done surprisingly well. The ‘losers’ are all based in the middle area.” http://nieuws.gfk.nl/newsletters/fashion-nieuwsbrief-oktober-2011/articles/stuck-in-the-middle
We can conlude, since sales in the lower segment have not collapsed as it has in the middle area, that the consumer has more trust in the brands that are deemed “less fashionable” nowadays. Price, the location of the stores and the assortment are characteristic elements to my target area.
HOLLAND AS A HOME Some facts, figures and conclusions. * Holland has 16,6 million inhabitants * 1 in 5 Dutch is of non-Dutch origin. * The biggest foreign group is the Turkish, the Moroccan and then the Surinamese. * More than half of the population is part of a family with children. * 1 in 5 20-somethings lives alone. * More female than male single parent households * 1 in 10 women between 35-39 is single. * 75% of women born in the 60s has been married or still is. * Spendings have decreased going outdoors since the recession. Instead people opt to stay at home and create a night of leisure within their own 4 walls * Most popular outdoor leisure activities are hiking and biking. Saturday is the average day of shopping, Sunday is the day for taking strolls. Throughout the week is reserved for sport, or club-team-group. * The average Dutch watches 1100 hours of TV per year and spends 44 hours going through folders. But instead of being annoyed by them, like the TV commercial, the Dutch enjoy going through folders and finding bargains. In fact, research has concluded a folder has the same effect a commercial can have, or better. * In 2040, 25% of the people will be over 65. * In 2030 30% of the population will be of non-Dutch origin, compared to 19% today. * The Dutch spent 11 billion euro on holidays abroad in 2007 compared to 17 billion being spent on national level of tourism and leisure activities. Of that money, most is spent on recreational shopping. *
De schaarse beschikbare vrije tijd moet zo optimaal mogelijk ingevuld worden. De vraag naar kwaliteit zal daardoor toenemen. De Recreant is veel kritischer en veeleisender geworden. Ook de behoefte aan comfort en luxe neemt toe, vooral onder de oudere doelgroep (RECRON, 2008; NRIT, 2007), maar ook aan rust en eenvoud. De industriĂŤle maatschappij is zo ver ontwikkeld dat deze de fysieke inspanning sterk heeft geautomatiseerd. Daarmee ontstaat ruimte voor emoties en verbeelding (Rolf Jensen, 1999).
We hechten steeds meer waarden aan verhalen en belevenissen. Beleving is van groot belang in deze drukke tijd met veel verplichtingen. Recreanten en toeristen willen iets (unieks) beleven, voelen en ervaren (RECRON, 2008). De laatste jaren is er sprake van een beleveniseconomie. Binnen deze beleveniseconomie schuift men van grootschalige, massale en eenmalige belevenissen, zoals Snow World en Kids Planet, naar intieme persoonlijke ervaringen (NRIT, 2007; Staatsbosbeheer, 2008). Een kleinschalige persoonlijke belevenis wordt graag met familie en vrienden gedeeld. Was er eerst vooral aandacht voor een groots meeslepende beleving gericht op het individu, nu is de toekomst aan het groepsgevoel. Er bestaat een behoefte aan kleinschaligheid en authenticiteit. Doordat de wereld steeds toegankelijker wordt en grenzen vervagen, neemt de interesse in regionale identiteit toe (Staatsbosbeheer, 2008; NRIT, 2007). De recreant van de toekomst zal echter niet tot één bepaalde doelgroep behoren. Vroeger gingen recreanten òf wandelen òf op familiebezoek. Tegenwoordig worden allerlei actviteiten gecombineerd. De komende jaren zullen steeds meer in het teken staan van het èn-èn tijdperk. Betekenisvolle ervaringen die soms tijdens één uitstapje worden geconsumeerd, maar ook volgend in de tijd. De ene keer laat iemand zich onderdompelen in de ‘vertraging’ om de volgende keer te globaliseren in de ‘versnelling’ .(Goossen en de Boer, 2008) www.kenniscentrumrecreatie.nl “De toekomst van toerisme, recreatie en vrije tijd”
DUTCH TV CHANNELS Who are they aiming at? There are several different tv channels, each one catering to a more specific audience. Here, I will highlight the most important ones to the average consumer. RTL4
Initially started out as a channel for the young adolescent in 1989 but has become the pinnacle of the average family, which is reflected in their programming. Entertainment and engagement.
RTL5
Founded in 1993, the current RTL5 caters to the primary audience, people between 20-34. This makes it, after NL1, RTL4 and SBS6, the best watched channel.
SBS6
Founded in 1995, focusing on a male demographic, SBS6 has transformed to a channel for the family. It has more regional news, which has one of the highest ratings every day. The channel is sometimes degradingly referred to as a ‘campingchannel’.
RTL8
This channel aims at catering to women and is characterized by 15 hours of tele-shopping a day, as well as re-runs of shows, series and films. One of the only channels airing multiple soaps, garnering a lot of viewers among housewives.
IK HOU VAN HOLLAND JENSEN
The Young & The Restless
Hart van Nederland SHOWNIEUWS
BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL DEAL OR NO DEAL KOFFIETIJD
LIFE *& COOKING EIGEN HUIS EN TUIN GTST
CAMPINGLIFE DE TV KANTINE
HENK & INGRID Formally known as Henk & Anja Though fictive characters, Henk & Ingrid have started leading real lives. It all started with the politics of Geert Wilders who kept referring to Henk en Anja. These were his so-called average citizens of holland, even more xenophobic than he is. They refuse to pay for Ahmed and Fatima, another fictive pair of archetypes, as he stated in one of his debates. Eventually everyone knew Henk & Ingrid, mainly because of PVV connected connotations. But Henk & Ingrid had already existed in previous years. de Flodder family, de Tokkies, Hyacynth Bucket´s sister and brother in law. They just were never taken as seriously as they have now.
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DUTCH WOMEN According to Sanoma media. Sanoma media has performed one of the more intensive researches on women. Granted, the information is somewhat outdated as the research stems from 2005. The research was performed on 1060 women between 18 and 65. Here some highlights, opinions and conclusions.
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Dutch women are quite traditional. They describe themselves as honest, trustworthy and social. Characteristics like independent, ambitious and confident they find less applicable personally. Dutch women chose family and friends. Husband, children, family and friends come first. She can’t imagine a life without time off and hobbies. Work is something she finds less important. If she had to chose, she’d rather be without work than her car (!)
This did not strike a chord until I read this article about one of Ebru Umar’s colums. Initially, I did not really comprehend. Reading it a second and third time, she really does have a valid point when she says that the Dutch woman is lazy. She wants to be taken care of and if there is any chance of not having to work, she’ll grab that opportunity with both hands. http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/3184/opinie/article/detail/2963821/2011/10/12/Nederlandsevrouwen-zijn-luie-donders.dhtml
'Nederlandse vrouwen zijn luie donders' Ebru Umar − 12/10/11, 11:27
Dutch women would like to change their appearance in one way or another. If money would be a non-issue, two-third of Dutch women would undergo some form of plastic surgery. Dutch women enjoy life. They like to go shopping, enjoy good food and clothing. Clothing has an influence on how good you feel, the majority of women claim. Yet most women don’t run after fashion trends or fads. Dutch women think moderately emancipated. Think, because reality still shows something different. Household chores are still done by women. This sounds rather sad, like she’s being held captive by her husband. But personally, after doing research I believe she choses to stay at home and take care of the house (in most cases). She might take up a parttime job at one point, not really to bring in some cash, but more to keep her busy from slowly going crazy between those 4 walls. At one point, the life of a woman slowly diminishes to only interacting with people within the family unit, especially when the children leave the house. It’s rather funny, or actually really backwards, that there only seems to be one archetype of a working woman; the ice-cold business-bitch, clawing her way to the top. Where is the ambition, the drive? Dutch women are not very involved with sex. Sex is not a priority for most women. Still many claim their sex-life could use a boost. Dutch women are more social than Ducth men. Men focus more on work and carreer. They also deem themselves more confident than women. The largest group women, 40%, in the age group 18-65 lives in a household with children, the majority of them is married. The favorite clothingstyle of Dutch women is basic/casual.
PRACTICAL COMFORT Dutch women, Dutch style The Dutch woman is very pragmatic and needs to be able to use her bike at any time. Therefore, clothes have to be practical. To the Dutch this means jeans, or denim in general. Black always does well. Dutch women don’t lke to stand out and believe black is slimming, thus a lot of dark colors in the Dutch landscape. Notice how the bust is hidden. Here an overview of some examples
011
DENIM DELIGHT Dutch Do Denim Like already stated Holland is a jeans-country, whether it’s skirts, jackets or both, the average Dutch devours denim. It’s funny to see how universal the fabric is, from children to grannies. Which is a long way where denim started from. Jeans was for the rebellious, but has become a democratized form of clothing doing exactly what the Dutch love; down playing or under-dressing.
012
DUTCH CUT Short Seems the Credo One thing that is noticed by my international friends is the haircut of the Dutch woman. It seems a lot of women get the same one, or at least similar.
013
ACCORDING TO LIBELLE Who is this mystery lady and what does she think?
014 Source: Sanoma Media
Libelle has been the pinnacle of the average woman since 1934. According to the magazine it reaches 2,5 milion households every week. Quite an accomplishment in an industry focused on postmodern beauty, Libelle has managed to create a waterproof identity, become part of Dutch culture and its heritage, being passed on to next generations. It has managed to go from magazine to lifestyle-brand. Now the reality is that Libelle has had to deal with condescending remarks about its dusty image. Like I said, the Fashion industry is looking for the extraordinary. Ordinary is just a fancy word for common. But again, reaching 2,5 million women on a weekly (!) basis as one of Holland’s best read magazines, they must be doing something right. Last year was the launch of a documentary where the Libelle office was followed for over a year by a camera crew. Though offering some interesting perspectives, one couldn’t help but notice how frustrated they were about the image of the Libelle woman and that this documentary was a mere tool to negate how dull and dusty this ordinary woman is. I must admit some of my own preconceptions have been negated after seeing the docu but at the same time it has confirmed that the reader of Libelle can be classified as an archetypal average Dutch consumer.
SKIRTIFIED Dutch Desperately Seeking Skirt In Holland we have something called ‘rokjesdag’ . A specific day where one notices the amount of skirts on ladies, signifying spring. But even in Fall skirts can be found, yet worn with tights or leggings.
015
HOLY MARY Archetype nr.1 Miss C&A This archetype has found the love of her life in God so she might not be married. But if she is, it´s for the long haul. She goes to choir practice and obviously visits church. She´s not concerned with being fashionable. Instead presentable, often a short hair cut, hiding her body (shape). She does nor like watching tv as it shows a lot of sex and violence, instead she is quite social in clubs. Whether it be cards, or handcraft, she likes using her hands. She listens to classical music, gospel, Phil Collins, Michael Bolton.
016
HIP HENRIETA Archetype nr.2 Miss Hema She is either single, divorced or still married but in any case still feels and looks rejuvenated. She is between 40 and 50. Her children probably already left the house and she found the walls closing in on her at home. She is socially active on Facebook (she left Hyves, though the profile´s still there) and probably has the ´coolest´ phone of all archetypes. She is fashionable, but it still takes time for her to accept or try out new styles. She prefers shopping online over offline retail. She takes good care of the household as well as the look of the interior. She is very active on Marktplaats, always scouring to find a next treasure. She is Miss Hema because she likes quality and design at a good price and she reflects that in her image. She also doesn´t work, or part-time.
017
CAMPING CAROL Archetype nr.3 Miss Zeeman She is caring, loud, and an evening out will last till the next day. She is married and works full-time. They probably have 2 children.She likes to sit on her front porch when it´s sunny. And so she can keep an eye on what´s going on. For information about the neighborhood she knows everyone´s business but no secret´s safe with her either. She likes a drink and does so quite often. She is not involved with fashion but sometimes she wishes she has the ability like other women do.
018
RETIRED RACHEL Archetype nr.4 Miss Kruidvat This archetype is probably the oldest of all. She and her husband are retired and have grown up children. She is very active, bikes, squashes and does Zumba. They probably moved to a smaller house at one point. She takes care of the household but is not as strict about it as others might be.
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SOCIAL SALLY Archetype nr.5 Miss V&D She earns slightly more than the other archetypes. Is a very entrepreneurial type, might run her own business, always busy with social events. She is between 40 and 50 and has had children. She has a husband and she seems to take the lead. Definitely the dominant one in the relationship. (then again, aren’t most women :)?) She likes to take care of herself, regularly has her hair done, her nails or visits her beautician. She is very social and knows all neighborhood gossip. She is also more brand-focused than the other archetypes, hence Miss V&D. She likes the idea of shop in shop’s and has certain brands she frequently visits.
020
FEISTY FELICIA Archetype nr.6 Miss Market This archetype probably is the youngest. She could still be a student but also very easily a drop-out who started working from an early age. She ‘s into brands but not loyal to them, For instance, she wants Uggs. She will settle for a replica of the real deal. As long as they come close. She probably has a boyfriend. She likes prints, colors and anything shiny. She listens to urban music, rap and hip-hop. Never leaves the house without hoop rings.
021
PLEATHER 2MEETU
CSP Conceptual Starting Points The conceptual starting points will provide a backbone to create a DNA that is able to transcend time and trends, transforming the visual compendium into a brand with staying power.
022
Vision
Average is awesome
Mission
Giving ordinary a face
Central Theme
Explorarion-Curation
Central Value
Voyeuristic
Functional Value
Eclectic
Expressive Value
Insightful-Emphatic
JANE DOE 2.0.
NEL VAN KAMPEN Example Archetype Nel is a 42 year old housewife, originally from de Jordaan, but moved to Amsterdam North over a decade ago. Cleaning her collection of white porcelain figurines is something that keeps her busy on a daily basis. Family Husband Bob 47, construction worker, daughter Shirley 20, housewife, daugher Melissa 16, and son Diego 14, student. On friends Someone who is there to help you get into laced-up outfits and out of drunken bar brawls. Sounds like A boat worker with Gilles de la Tourette. Catchphrase Tering-Lieffie-KolereNeem van mijn aan.. Zo ken ie wel weer Holiday Last one was 7 years ago to Torremolinos but they hate the food abroad so they don’t leave the country anymore
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Motto Een dag niet gerookt, is een dag niet gelachen. Attire First off, clothing should be figure-hugging. White ton-sur-ton ensembles also score high on the list of outfits. Furthermore, a mix of gold en silver jewellery also sits well with Nel. Food As long as it’s fried and does not have any unfamiliar ingredients, though she tries to eat more healthy after her gastric bypass. Music Frans Bauer, André Hazes, het Levenslied
MISS ZEEMAN
EXHIBIT A The Marlies Dekkers Bra It’s been 5 years after Marlies Dekkers launched a book with Heleen van Royen called ‘Stout’ and unleashed a movement which many feminists would wince upon. The designer and her bra’s, and soon copies and replica’s, were embraced by the masses and it wasn’t long before just about every middle-aged ‘average’ woman was seen parading in a bondage vs spiderweb contrapment. But what’s the use of having special underwear if no one can see it? ‘Sod it’, the housewives all thought and so more and more layers were shed to show off their lovely lingerie, making the bra a household item of the average woman.
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EXHIBIT B The White 3/4 Leggings
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Many of us had never anticipated the leggings to make a comeback. After the 80s, slowly making its way into the 90s and into the territory of trailer trash culture. But then around 2000 the leggings were no longer a fashion faux-pax, it would soon enough have a derivate version, the ‘treggings. And this time around no one shied away from wearing the item as pants, something previously not-done. The Nel-van-Kampen version is a white 3/4, or a 7/8 length. Preferably with a small strip of lace at the end. Luckily this is not worn as is, but nicely paired-up with a denim skirt, which has a chapter of its own, and a pair of flip-flops, or as a part of the previously mentioned all-white ensemble, preferably worn with calf-length boots.
SO FAR SO GOOD? Feedback & plans until official check After showing chapter 22-25 as my conceptual startingpoints I got some feedback that I could work on. The main image was too stylized and they weren’t sure about the title, though they do like the vision and mission. So some choices need to be made there. Overall good feedback, pitch went good but lots of work still to be done. This week I want to have as much as my ‘final faces’ as possible, whether it be 4 or 6. I would also like to take some pics of interiors so I can mold each individual profile. Of course I need to think about what overlapping information I want to try and uncover, so that there is a coherence and consistency in the final product.
UPDATE: Ok, so finding the final archetypes was more work than I anticipated but I´ve made appointments with several women this week whom I can meet.
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CSP: THE SEQUEL Conceptual Starting Points Revisited After the feedback from the workshop session I edited what I presented that morning. First of all by replacing the main image which fits more with the values.
027
Vision
Average is awesome
Mission
Giving ordinary a face
Central Theme
Explorarion-Curation
Central Value
Voyeuristic
Functional Value
Eclectic
Expressive Value
Insightful-Emphatic
So in the end I will present a visual compendium consisting of a number of archetypal women (5-7) and accompanying archetypal elements. This gives a varied and broad point of view of different women, belonging to the same tribe. Not only is this interesting to professionals in the communications/branding industry but also Dutch citizens have shown its interest in the ordinary person. (looking at the amount of reality tv-shows etc) At the same time, society has become hardened and less tolerant of others therefore this book will also bring people closer to each other.; to understand them more. No longer are they second rate people, in fact they are the most important consumer of all. Yet they are targeted very narrow, as if they are all the same. This book will change all that.
OUT OF THE ORDINARY
OFFICIAL CHECK Preperations & Ideas Right now I’m contemplating what to include in the presentation. A little bit of everything? Or start with my CSP and end up visualizing an indication of the compendium? Taking the latter approach is the same as the previous (un)official check, which got good feedback, but should I know revisit what was already accepted? I can’t show all of my final archetypes, as I haven’t visited all of them yet, so should I only concentrate on one, or a couple? Or just give a general feeling of what I’m trying to accomplish? I don’t think there is a wrong way of doing it, I just need to make the right decisions.
028
To your right is a sketch of a presentation for the official check. In a way this helps me to think about my final presentation. Furthermore, keeping up with my workbook in a digital way, helps me focus on how the compendium will look like. It also forces me to condense my research in such a way it leaves with the vital essence. This has garnered new ideas for the end-product. I would like to include some elements of my general research on women, which would not have been dscovered had I not put them together visually. Therefore, my research is not finished. I keep taking pictures of people on the streets and follow people in the supermarket. This really creates a sense of voyeurism and putting these faceless images together makes up for a fascinating result, revealing more about someone’s identity than just a face. Because of its encyclopedic nature of the compendium I see a book with a hard cover. Visually what I’m inspired by is reflected in the ay-out of the workbook, which in itself is inspired by The Gentlewoman magazine. This incredibly awesome mag also works with several different papers, just like I intend to do, but more of this in its own chapter.
FEEDBACK OFFICIAL CHECK Honestly, I felt hugely disappointed after coming back to pick up the feedback. To spend over 40 hours and 50 euro’s on a presentation and to be shipped off with a paper saying ‘much work to be done’, feels like an insult. Of course I understand nothing is perfect yet but a little bit more concrete direction would have been nice with such little time left. No comments on the images I took myself and no comments on my workbook. So I have to go back to the drawing board, making clear why this product has a relevance.
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NEXT STEPS
* Visiting Archetypal women in their homes, making a decision on who to include and to exclude. * Filling in the blanks, answering all the why’s . * Creating a mock-up that visualizes the end-goal. * Create some options for the final presentation.
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REWIND & RECAP Why, Why and Why?
So basically the WHY needs to be answered. Which I will break down seperately as well as additional options. Hopefully this will lead to several ways of solving the problem of why.
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WHY THE AVERAGE WOMAN? Over the past years the interest in the ‘normal’ woman or ‘average’, however you want to look at it, has increased. Companies have understood the power of that particular consumer and are trying to cater to them more specifically. Dove is an excellent example of that. But also Rijksoverheid and their commercials, Essent, Andrelon etc. At the same time, TV has been offering glimpses of ‘real’ people to the public. (which of course in the end have nothing to do with the authenticity of real life). MTV’s The Real World, Big Brother, De Gouden Kooi, Secret Story, Boer Zoekt Vrouw and more recently Connected are al examples of shows portraying so-called ‘normal’ or ‘average’ people. This misleading image has led to a change in people’s perception of what it means to be normal, average, middle class etc. A reason for being for this compendium could thus be to portray the true average female. But then again, who would be interested in it and what would they be able to do with the information I’m providing them with?
WHY THE AVERAGE WOMAN? Another thing that was on the feedback form was how it was evident the women I had found during my research belonged to the same tribe. Well, first of all I found these women in the outskirts of Amsterdam and surroundings. Diemen, Amsterdam Noord, Purmerend etc. Second of all, I tried looking for these women in common places like supermarkets, discounters etc. There are probably more generic demographics like income in common but since I haven´t asked, it is not scientific evidence but merely an intuitive assumption, something which is closely tied to the term archetype. Furthermore, what has struck me as fascinating is that previously ´to be average´ was to be looked down upon; a dirty word. Post-modern society is all about individuality, standing out; especially in the world of Fashion*, which has an obsession with ´The New´ and ´The Young´. Certainly no place for a common, suburban housewife; who is limited to taking care of the house and reading Libelle. But as previously mentioned, even Libelle is fighting the sterotype of a dusty, musty old maid audience in the documentary ´Aldus Libelle´. Thus the meaning of ´normal´ and ´average´ can change according to the change in society´s perception. Just like terms as masculinity and femininity change and differ over time and per culture, for example. Capturing a sense of that particular society, the Zeitgeist, can prove to be invaluable in future years when we look back on how life was in 2012. That brings me to Dutch identity. Is there even one? Well, yes. Just look at the recent launch of the Dutch Vogue, which of course is just another spin-off of all the other issues you could argue, but at the same time each issue focuses on the national identity to differentiate. Therefore, Dutch identity is very much alive and current. *World of Fashion- Has always been a place for misfits and deviants of society. In any case, as long as you were dodging mediocrity, Fashion had a place for you. Punk, trailer trash, Indian ethnicity, anything out of the ordinary is welcomed with open arms. There is nothing Fashion hates more than trying to blend in, or better yet, trying NOT to stand out. To put something like a housewife in a fashionable environment, creates the context which is both new as unique.
TRAILER TRASH CRUSH The left four images are from the recent April/May issue of Wonderland magazine. The other images are the famous test shots Corinne Day took of Kate Moss over 15 years ago, which sparked a controversy because of its raw and gritty aesthetic and the innocent waif-looking 14 year old model.
OPTION #1 Out of the Ordinary: Into the Spotlight Art is no longer monopolized by ´artists´ and/ or musea and has been democratized, along with the help of emerging new initiatives like FOAM photography museum and Premsela. The latter has always fascinated me and I even considered interning there. Especially the way they tackle topics like Ducth identity and exploration of what an exhibion could be (about). Therefore it would be great to start up a project which they could take over. (or even better, let me expand on and elaborate)
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Premsela, Nederlands Instituut voor Design en Mode zet zich in voor de groei van de Nederlandse vormgeving. Design is daarbij niet alleen een cultureel fenomeen van betekenis maar ook een partner in het zoeken naar antwoorden op sociale, culturele, economische, en individuele vraagstukken. Premsela organiseert lezingen, debatten en tentoonstellingen, en is uitgever van het tijdschrift Morf, en de internationale portal Design.nl. Hierbij wordt intensief samengewerkt met een groot aantal partners. Met deze activiteiten richt het instituut zich op ontwerpers, studenten, opdrachtgevers, producenten, professionals en amateurs, zowel in Nederland als daarbuiten. Premsela vat het begrip design breed op; ontwerp, mode, vormgeving, informatie design, en aanpalende architectuur-designaspecten. Premsela voert de nationale regie op het bewaren, documenteren en archiveren van design en mode. Ook presenteert en representeert Premsela design en design-denken op een nationaal en internationaal podium. Premsela wordt gesubsidieerd door het ministerie van OCW en onder andere de gemeente Amsterdam.
OPTION #2 Out of the Ordinary: Into the Spotlight Another side of the Industry which has always appealed to me is trend forecasting; again trying to capture the sprit of the times in the broadest way possible and transforming that data into elements such as color, material and textures as well as more deeper-lying psychological and socio-cultural meanings. This could be done for a company such as Second Sight. I would still focus on the average Dutch consumer and their living environments to maintain a commercial output.
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Second Sight is een platform voor trends en trendwatching. Second Sight weet wat er speelt op het gebied van trends, trendforecasting en toekomststudies. Met het netwerk, de magazines, trendletters en evenementen inspireren we je om te innoveren en je op weg te helpen met trend management. Second Sight is van mening dat je als organisatie zelf grip moet krijgen op de veranderingen in de wereld om je heen. Second Sight kan je helpen de juiste skills te ontwikkelen die van belang zijn om te begrijpen wat er verandert in de wereld (tijdgeest-studie), welke richting het op kan gaan (scenario-studie) en hoe je daar als bedrijf of organisatie op kunt inspelen (trends vertalen en implementeren). Daarnaast inspireert Second Sight met artikelen en inzichten van diverse trendexperts en andere visionaire denkers.
OPTION #3 Out of the Ordinary: Into the Spotlight A company that caters to the average consumer in the best way possible is IKEA, as well as being able to turn IKEA into a brand that is considered to feel Dutch, according to most people I’ve spoken to. Therefore this second option is about creating a visual study, sort of like a trend-book/inspiration-book, showing how the average Dutch live to create future innovations and inventions.
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The first Möbel-IKÉA store was opened in Älmhult, Småland in 1953, while the first stores outside Sweden were opened in Norway (1963) and Denmark (1969). The stores spread to other parts of Europe in the 1970s, with the first store outside Scandinavia opening in Switzerland (1973), followed by Germany (1974). Things were going so well for the company, that in 1973, the company’s German executives accidentally opened a store in Konstanz when they had meant to open one in Koblenz. Later that decade, stores opened in other parts of the world, including Japan (1974), Australia and Hong Kong (1975), Canada (1976), and Singapore (1978). IKEA further expanded in the 1980s, opening stores in France & Spain (1981), Belgium (1984), the United States (1985), the United Kingdom (1987), and Italy (1989), among other areas. The company expanded into more countries in the 1990s and 2000s. Germany, with 44 stores, is IKEA’s biggest market, followed by the United States, with 37. At the end of 2009 financial year, the IKEA group had 267 stores in 25 countries. On February 17, 2011, IKEA announced its plans for a wind farm in Dalarna County, Sweden, furthering the furniture giant’s goal of running on 100 percent renewable energy. The IKEA website contains about 12,000 products and is the closest representation of the entire IKEA range. There were over 470 million visitors to the IKEA websites in the year from September 2007 to September 2008. IKEA is the world’s third-largest consumer of wood. Company founder Ingvar Kamprad, who is dyslexic, found that naming the furniture with proper names and words, rather than a product code, made the names easier to remember. IKEA uses a sales technique called “bulla bulla” in which a bunch of items are purposefully jumbled in bins, to create the impression of volume, and therefore, inexpensiveness.
FINAL DECISIONS Filling in the Blanks: Answering the Why’s After contemplating, brainstorming and researching the reason for being for this final product, I contacted Premsela. Not only because the institute is fascinating itself, but it has some natural links to what I’m doing for this product. As stated before, Premsela focuses on archiving and documenting Dutch fashion & design. They’ve created for example, the exhibition in the Zuiderzee Museum about Dutch Folk Clothing. By putting this into a contemporary context elevates its object to a higher level. Exactly like I’m trying to do with the ordinary Dutch woman. Putting her on display, as a work of art instead of as a curiositie is something that fascinates me. Especially when you consider that the idea of a museum, or the public viewing of its works of art have only been public domain since the late 1800’s. Before that it was only available to the wealthy. And now, in 2012, we have come full circle with a compendium which could be used as the basis of an exhibition about the average Dutch female consumer. Besides capturing a moment in present time, a slice of Zeitgeist, it will also provide insights into how these women view fashion and what their behavioral comsumer patterns are. After speaking to Eve-
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Marie from Premsela she agreed I had an interesting point of view. When I asked for suggestions, she came up with the idea to maybe have a part focus on, say technology or fashion. (which I already had of course) This to possibly provide information for, say designers, for future innovations. All in all, it was nice to have confirmed that what I’m doing has relevance and that they were interested in what I would come up with. Might be a great way to get a foot in the door, who knows? With all this new and vital information I started creating a mock-up for the compendium to show next workshop. It will also provide me with a solid base, while I’m still visiting different women at their homes, to put in images at a later stage. To your right is the mock-up, which is printed on several different papers, just to see how each one works.
FEEDBACK MOCK-UP What did everyone else think?
With a tangible product to show I went to the workshop and showed Stephen what I had. He had some good points, especially when it came to the sectioning and order. Since Charlotte Lokin is pretty much the top dog when it comes to graphic design so I really wanted her opinion. Luckily I managed to get an appointment of 30 minutes. I had already changed and adapted some things according to Stephen’s suggestions, so I had an improved version to show as well as the one I showed Stephen. She helped me to realize I should incorporate the element of ‘ordinariness’ throughout, consistently. She suggested I look into (another Dutch archetype) Linda de Mol’s magazine LINDA. She also mentioned how it is important to
037 have some form of repetition,in my case. It will make the reader familiar with the entire content and its eye will constantly look for more information in the same places. With all of the invaluable information of this week, I immediately started the final lay-out. I’m a little bit worried about time, since I’m a little overambitious by wanting 7 archetypes. It’s a lot of writing, but once I have established a pattern, I will go all out. The intial version looked more like a mini-workbook with essential but unnecessary information, therefore I’m editing it down to solely the archetypes and some general references in the back.
Stephen also had some relevant comments to add during the final consultations. He needed more fashion weaved into the whole thing, which I already anticipated on myself. So it was good to get the confirmation. Another vital thing is that he mentioned archetypal names. As much as I don´t want to deduct these women to ´a nick name´, since the plan was to celebrate them with their own ordinary Dutch names, after thinking about it, he did have a point. It will help the viewer immediately make a connection, one he would have made eventually, it just helps enhance the familiarity. They shouldn´t need the text or the rest of the visuals. 1 photo and a nickname should say it all, with the rest of the story just as an entertaining confirmation as well as maybe a surprise here and there.
THE COMPENDIUM How does the final format look like?
As visual inspiration I used the lay-out of a dictionary, The Gentlewoman magazine Zoo Magazine and LINDA magazine. As a result I could make decisons on what typography to use. Since average and ordinary are key in this graduation project I want to implement that into the design of the compendium. Readability and legibility are essential, therefore I’m limiting myself to 4-5 different fonts, to still have that eclectic feel, without losing their common ground, Since it is all about the archetypes, I will focus on these consumer profiles. Like Charlotte already had emphasized, there needs to be a consistent and clear navigation for each of these profiles. I’m also incorporating the colors of the Dutch flag, yet in my own personal, contemporary version. A very stark, rich and royal dark blue, with a small accent of bright red here and there.In terms of paper I was totally set on a light-glossy paper. But in the last minute I switched, it didn´t feel ordinary
038 enough and the grey-ish paper I ended up chosing, did have a sort of recycled, museum-like quality. I also like the images better on it. I would like to have the book binded like a proper book, preferably a hardcover in nightblue. This has already to be proven to be impossible to be able to get before May 14th. So I´m currently working on a substitute version, which then could be binded the way I want it for the final presentation on June 4th. Working in color blocks enhances the curated feel of the book, mimicking an exhibition. It will also help establish the difference in spreads, content and topic.
DISTRICT THIN - headers, names, numbers TFF FRANKLIN GOTHIC - quotes, titles GARAMOND PREMIER PRO - reading texts UNIVERS CONDENSED - captions HELVETICA NARROW - research
Nightblue - Used in titles and quotes -RGB - 21, 34, 88 Darkblue - Used in color blocks -RGB - 0, 4, 111 Red -Used in numbers, lines and quotes - RGB - 239, 0 ,0
THE CONTENT What will be in the compendium? The first half of the research has been geared towards finding the archetypal women, and capturing them in my own personal, visual language. In terms of visuals the mood has been set. I’ve attempted at photographing all women in the same manner, trying to keep a consistency and coherency. This helps the reader form his own opinion without being told what to look for, It will make the audience aware of both similarities as well differences within each archetype. I’ve also set up a format, content-wise, for each archetype. They will all start with the archetype’s name and a short description of why they belong to this particular tribe. Then you will get the archetype’s nick name as well as an introduction which sets the mood of the entire interview. After that, it will diverge more into behavioral patterns in terms of fashion and consumer behavior. It will make clear what type of fashion consumer they are and how they differ from each other.
039 Immediately after, you’ll get an overview of multiple topics like health, technology and leisure. These topics have been inspired after my talk with Eve-Marie of Premsela. She suggested that these categories could be of value to a multitude of professionals, like marketeers, branders and forecasters. Therefore, I’ve added this information for each archetype. Each archetypal chapter ends with an overview of their living environment, called Decorum. After the presentation of the archetypal consumer you will be get to the chapter Referential, which will offer an extensive range of references essential to the research. Besides some general topics, it will also highlight some of the archetypes you’ve come across.
THE FINAL PRESENTATION How will it all stay together? The final presentation will preferably be in the form of an exhibition, where the works of art are the archetypal woman. Without giving too much information it should immediately be clear what the purpose is of the entire project. Therefore, I should focus on having a really good, yet concise explanation of what the goals entail. I’m trying to do that with bulletpoints and short slogans that will make clear what the idea is. For the presentation on May14th I will try and do as much as I can, as a way of rehearsing for the actual exhibition on June 4th. I’d like to get the images framed for example, but that probably won’t work before the 14th.
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Though my graduation project required a different approach than most others, it did help to think in terms of Problem VS. Solution. At first I thought that wouldn’t work for me because my project wasn’t born out of a problem but it did help to formulate what it is I’m adding to this product.
ONE LAST WHY Just for old time’s sake In our higly globalized and digitalized world, it becomes more and more hard to stand out. We are all deducted to facts, figures and other data that can be used in uncovering consumer behavioral patterns. But this also obliterates the possibility to just be. Especially in the world of fashion, just ‘being’ is not enough. In fact, you don’t count as common. This is part of the reason the average tribe is so invisible. They do not dress to stand out, so how can you find them? Furthermore, most consumer research is done to deduct everything to fit as many people as possible, demolishing the individuality. This compendium is vital in the sense of getting a clearer picture of the overall tribe as well as establishing the difference in subgroups, of which the archetype is the example of. This can help marketeers,
041 advertisers, screenwriters and other fashion professionals cater to a more diverged audience. In this way, the compendium provides information and knowledge previously hidden, that can serve a more niched market. Whereas now everyone in the lower segment is targeted the same way; through low pricing, the compendium can make way for a more personalized way of selling to a specific type of consumer.
RED OR GREEN How will it all stay together? As much as I’m convinced of my own product there has never been a moment of being content or complacent. Mainly because I’ve only gotten red throughout and I was deadset on changing that. Therefore I would start creating the explanation board first, since that had become the most important. It took me a while to establish some sort of chart which would instantly visualize my intention. But once I asked to take a look at Lara’s, it made more sense. She started with a problem, followed by the aim and the solution and even though I had never looked at my project as solving any problem, it also never occured to me that it might be helpful doing so. It helped me to phrase the answers to those probing questions short and sweetly. The rest of the presentation should support the explanation board and speak for itself. Having 2 left hands does not mean being less ambitious, it just means I have to be careful not to let go too much of the reigns and keep it clean
042 and professional. At the same time, this is also more consistent with the them of ordinaryness. The last thing I want is for it to come across as cliché or gimmicky. To my surprise, my hard work actually paid off this time. Getting a green light must probably be the most exciting moment of my life as it took me a week to recuperate. By no means did I take this as a ‘done deal’. There are still plenty of things that I’d like to try out before setting up the final presentation.
Left image: OMG.. the hair, the scarves, the fur hooded jackets, the jeans with overly processed whiskers, the brand-less boxershorts, the hideous wide white belts. Is it Christmas already because this image is just a gift from God. There’s just too much joy in one photograph. If I ever do a teen version of OUT OF THE ORDINARY this goes in for sure. The next spread visualizes a Dutch living room with an archetypically Dutch couple with an archetypal item of clothing ...The Fleece sweater, perfect for him AND her!
The New Generation of Scientists
THE 7TH ARCHETYPE Hidden Treasures One of the most essential things AMFI has taught me is to be able to edit. To critically look at something and be able to say: “You know what, this is not working”. During the research I was afraid I might not find enough women therefore I still had some back-ups, in case anything failed. The initial idea had been to portray a variety of different women and ages, thus I searched for an older woman to crank up the average age. I found a 65 year old, whom I visited on her 9th floor senior citizen apartment. Quite a comfy a crib I must say. Though in the end I wisely did not include her (besides, I did not want an uneven number of women) I could not leave some of the images unseen; they’re pure gold.
043 They could always come in handy as a starting point of the senior citizen version of OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
The next spread visualizes a Dutch living room with an archetypically Dutch couple with an archetypal item of clothing ...The Fleece sweater, perfect for him AND her!
JUNE 4TH PRESENTATION It’s D-Day all over again. Just because my earlier presentation had been approved this doesn’t mean I had no other ideas. In the very beginning I had the idea of recreating a crime scene, including yellow crime tape, cordoning off a section of the exhibition space. The chalked outline of a body on the floor would indicate a person/ individual. There are certain items on the floor, exhibits that have been collected. There might be a denim skirt with next to it a plaque stating this is exhibit #1, with a description of that particular archetypal piece of clothing. This would also fit with the Jane Doe name I had in the beginning. I also had the idea of recreating a party scene. Setting up the exhibition table as if it’s been someone’s birthday, celebrating a certain someone. But this requires perfect art-direction to a tee without it looking like just a messy table of cutlery. I feel this would overwhelm, epecially in comparison to the subtle manual. Still, I felt an urge to do something over the top. This did not last very long after we received a confirming email, saying it’s better to come up with something simple and efficient. Quality over quantity. Thus I would keep the
044 efficient set-up of the last presentation. I tried adapting all the images as much as possible and tried out different papers. According to the previous feedback form the table top needed some attention which I agree with. I found a table cloth in the same nautical theme as the rest of the presentation. If it doesn’t work, I can always take it away. At one point I was inspired by the image to the left, which was haunting me all over town. The Dutch tiles are cropping up everywhere. Hema, Xenos, Action. Not too mention the entire town of Volendam. It’s also in line with the new Dutch symbol of New Year’s Eve, two giant dolls inching closer together as the new year approaches, ending up in a smooch. So I bought these sticker that you can transfer online and even found a site where you can order your own vintage tile with a personal piece of ‘wisdom’ on it. In the end, it also turned out too gimmicky, so I decided to just leave the tourist money-trap ideas.
COMPENDIUM : THE END The final page has been turned The compendium itself I did not change. If I would have had more time I might have visited a few of the women again, simply to take better pictures, in terms of quality. One was on holiday, one seemed to be dodging my calls, so I decided to create something extra. I had already been thinking about creating some sort of dictionary, or to be precise, a glossary. I want to fold it around the compendium, revealing it when you take off the ‘fake’ cover. This requires some technical skills which I normally lack but I’m going to try anyway. I’ve already printed out several but they never quite seem to fit. Not being one to give up that easily, I’m still trying to accomplish the intended goal. Again, if I had more time I would have expanded the entire project. How cool would it have been to create a trailer around the compendium? Or if I’d recorded the archetypes voices, being able to use that in the final presentation. But that’s all water under the bridge. Het is roeien met de riemen die je hebt.
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One thing is for certain. I’ve created a unique and personal graduation project, that truly represents me as a brander but also represents AMFI. It hasn’t been an easy process by any means, at one point someone said to me that I was making things harder by not doing what everyone else was doing, making it harder to critique. But I stood behind what I was doing, I just hadn’t been able to visualize or express it correctly. Looking at the finished product now, as well as the extensiveness of my research, makes me proud. This week I also had an interview with journalist Bregje Lampe for the yearbook and that was like an eyeopener. I need to write. Simple as that. So all my focus it getting my big ass foot in someone’s door. Anyone’s door for that matter.
USING THE COMPENDIUM Who and how can they use it?
option 1 Say you’re writing a new Dutch tv-show and in dire need of inspiration, this compendium comes in handy. Not only that, once you start casting people for certain roles this compendium can be essential in finding the right person for the right part. Once these people have been cast, they need to be dressed accordingly, so the styling team is in desperate need of some more information; cue the compendium. The same goes for the art direction for example. Whose living room looks like what?
option 2 Say you’re an established brand like Hema and looking for a new approach to their ad-campaigns. With this compendium, and me as an accompanying consultant, I could come up with an exciting campain which brings together product and archetypal person. This is also implemented into product packaging. (for example an adcampaign for hair products featuring an ordinary redhead, a blonde and a brunette. Each of the archetypes has their own specific look, with an overall uniformity tying all 3 together)
046 option 3 Say you are a designer or a buyer for a large retailer such as C&A and/ or Zeeman. I’m sure these people enjoy browsing Style.com but it is a giant step translating that to the average Dutch woman. Therefore, this compendium offers valuable current information in what these women want and desire, enabling the designer/buyer to cater to a specific need and to a specific target audience.
option 4
Say you work for an advertising agency. Preferably one that works with a lot of big Dutch brands, whom often aim to cater to the average person because this means the majority will be able to relate to the product that’s being sold. Then the information provided in the compendium can offer vital insights in how to communicate. For example: Say Miss Etam wants to to emphasize their wide variety in jeans that come in a wide variety of sizes. As an advertiser you need to know there’s no use in trying to use the ‘rebellious’ theme, unless you do it differently. More importantly should be how comfortable those jeans are and how they flatter your bodytype, covering any flaws.